Last month, after the whirlwind Discover CHANEL program in Paris, le bf and I took some time off to travel to Morocco. I’ve always been intrigued by this North African country, hearing stories of delicious food, beautiful crafts, and breathtaking locales, so the excitement factor was high. Since our schedules were pretty tight, we decided to spend our time in Marrakech, Fez, Chefchaouen, and Casablanca. And while I’ll be sure to share my faves from each city later on, today, I wanted to focus on what I ended up wearing.

While planning our trip, I was googling anything and everything I could find about Morocco and the appropriate way to dress there. As a predominantly Muslim country, yet time and time again described as “not so conservative”, Morocco was a mystery to me…as was the “dress code”. I knew that local women mostly covered up head-to-wrist-to-ankle, but that tourists were technically allowed to wear whatever…though wearing things that expose too much could lead to potential harassment.

My goal on this trip was to be respectful of local customs, while looking cute, and staying comfortable. There’s no way I was going to cover up wrist to ankle in 30-degree weather, but shorts and strappy dresses were out too…or were they? To stay true to my style, I ended up packing my fave slip dresses, but brought a few printed caftans to throw on top, creating somewhat modest-looking outfits. I also packed a few midi and maxi dresses, ones I could wear with a leather jacket on cooler days, or with a scarf draped around my shoulders and cleavage. For train rides, I made sure to bring a few pairs of comfy, loose-fitting pants and tees. I also brought my wool fedora, both to cover up my hair, and to shield my face from the sun.

Another thing I was grateful to have read about before my trip is footwear. Word of advice – don’t bring open-toe sandals to Morocco, unless you plan on spending time poolside or on the beach. Don’t bring your fancy shoes either, because if you plan on wearing those in the medina, you may end up ruining both your shoes and your feet. Most streets in old towns of Marrakech and Fez are paved with slippery cobblestones, and with streams of people everywhere, there’s a good chance your feet will be stepped on, and if that’s not reason enough, I have two words for you – donkey droppings. I brought an old pair of comfy ALDO shoes that were pretty worn out, and on our last day in Fez, after they’ve served their purpose, I threw them out. Highly recommended.

In the end, our trip was lovely. I avoided the harassment that I’ve read so much about, and felt comfortable and confident throughout. I did see tourists in short-shorts, strappy camisoles, and skimpy dresses, but was happy that I chose the more modest route. At the end of the day, I think Morocco is progressive enough for you to wear whatever you like, so it really is up to you and what you’re comfortable with. I’ll be posting more looks from my Moroccan adventures throughout the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned!

A couple of months ago, le bf and I packed our bags and took off on a week-long Miami vacay. We were set to arrive on the last day of Art Basel, and had very little idea as to what we would actually do in Miami once we land. I had no time for research, and so we set off with no preconceived notions about the city, with that Will Smith song stuck in my head. Now that we got to experience a bit of what Miami has to offer, I thought I’d share my newfound wisdom…aka the top 5 things we loved about Miami, and you may too. Feel free to let us know which places are on your must-do list!

Wynwood Walls
I’ll be honest, I learned about Wynwood Walls from Instagram, and all of those photogenic outfit pics of various bloggers, posing in front of the coolest graffiti I’ve ever seen. So, being a fashion blogger, I knew I had to make the trip to see (and pose in front of) those beautiful walls. And so we went, we saw, we posed, we photographed, and we loved it. Honestly, whether you’re a blogger or not, you’ll love Wynwood Walls. It’s a grungy area to be sure, but it’s inspiring all the same. Once you’re done admiring the pretty walls and doors, you can take a short cab ride over to Miami’s Design District, where you can do some high-end shopping, before grabbing a table on Mandolin’s lovely sun-soaked patio. Their kefte and saganaki are delicious, while the unsweetened iced-tea is super refreshing.

Versace Mansion aka The Villa by Barton G.
As a fashion lover, I knew I had to check out the infamous Versace Mansion while in Miami. There’s obviously a sad backstory to the mansion and those infamous front steps, but it’s basically a historic sight and a must-visit while in Miami. We made a dinner reservation, and arrived without high expectations. Mostly, we just wanted to check out the mansion itself, so the dinner part was just an aside. But when our meals arrived, we were pleasantly surprised by how much we loved the food. There are mixed reviews online, but everything we ordered was delicious. And as a bonus, we got to sit facing the beautiful courtyard, with that magnificent pool and infamous tiled floor as our view. We also had an unexpected dinner companion running around our feet – a Versace cat. We were told that on the day Gianni was shot, a cat arrived at the steps of the mansion, and since Gianni believed in reincarnation, the cat was allowed to stay, with its offsprings now enjoying the privilege of being Versace Mansion inhabitants.

Tip: If you plan on grabbing dinner at the Villa, make sure to leave your flip flops at the hotel. Smart attire is required.

WHAT I WORE

WHO IS NELIA?

Nelia Belkova is a Toronto-based fashion and lifestyle blogger by night and a financial analyst by day. She loves to travel, read gossip sites, eat sweets, and cuddle up to her husband and her cat on the couch. Read More…